Fracture Characteristics of Concrete at Early Ages

초기재령 콘크리트의 파괴특성

The objective of this study is to examine the fracture characteristics of concrete at early ages such as critical stress intensity factor, critical crack-tip opening displacement, fracture energy based on the concepts of the effective-elastic crack model and the cohesive crack model. A wedge splitting test for Mode I was performed on cubic wedge specimens with a notch at the edge. By varying strength and age, load-crack mouth opening displacement curves were obtained and the results were analyzed by linear elastic fracture mechanics. The results from the test and analysis showed that critical stress intensity factor and fracture energy increased, and critical crack-tip opening displacement decreased with concrete age from 1 day to 28 days. The obtained fracture parameters at early ages may be used as a fracture criterion and an input data for finite element analysis of concrete at early ages.